An infamous anniversary is tomorrow. Tony Mauro has this post at the Blog of the Legal Times on the 150th anniversary of Scott v. Sandford, 60 U.S. 393 (1856)

Sex Offender Commitment: Abby Goudnough and Monica Davey have the second in a series of articles in the New York Times on sex offender commitment, this one focusing on the conditions at a privately run facility. Yesterday's article discussed doubts about the programs, such as, "The treatment regimens are expensive and largely unproven, and there is no way to compel patients to participate." Tomorrow's installment is titled, "The difficult science of treating sex offenders."

Alleged Serial Killer Lorenzo Gilyard faces trial today for the murders of 13 women and girls between 1977 and 1993 in Kansas City. An AP story by Heather Hollingsworth reports that Gilyard has an extensive past of run ins with the law and is connected to a string of murders through DNA evidence collected in 1987. Gilyard and his attorney stick to his claims of innocence and waived almost all rights to an appeal and trial by a jury in exchange with the prosecutor not seeking the death penalty.

The Supreme Court of Kentucky overturned the conviction of Elijah Burns who was found guilty of sexually abusing three girls under the age of 12. The AP story reports the high court ruled that the admission of improper testimony by the examining physician prejudiced Burns and therefore he should receive a new trial, which is scheduled to begin in May.

The Supreme Court of West Virginia decided sending a confidential informant into a private home wearing a "wire" without a warrant violates the state constitution, although it is valid under federal law. Justin D. Anderson of the Charleston Daily reports that a case out of Boone County where Eddie Mullens plead guilty to selling marijuana and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2005 after police sent an informant into his home while wearing surveillance equipment. Justices Brent Benjamin and Spike Maynard dissented, claiming that the decision reached by the majority is nothing more than "nonsense" and police Lt. Chuck Carpenter states this ruling will make police investigation harder and more time consuming.